1. This safety training contains an introduction to the essential safety topics suggested by ANSI Z136.1 American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers.
NIU believes that laser safety training is the most critical element of an effective Safety Program and awareness of fundamental laser hazards is key to an effective program for students. Your eyes are the one of the most precious organs in your body and you are only given one pair in this lifetime. So we are going to discuss the basics of protecting them.

2. All laser beams diverge
All laser beams diverge. The more Gaussian the beam shape, the lower the divergence A typical high quality laser beam has a divergence of 1 mrad where a lower quality beam may have a divergence of greater than 10 mrad. 2

3. Here are 4 characteristics of lasers and their effects on hazards that you can look over.
The absorption of various wavelengths within the eye and the variation of hazard because of wavelength will be examined in detail in the next section. 3

4. Laser injuries result from two effects, thermal and photochemical.
Thermal injuries are caused by heating of the tissue as a result of the absorption of laser energy This causes proteins to be “denatured” (cooked). Thermal burns can occur at all wavelengths. They are the most common injury to eyes and skin for CW and long pulse lasers.
Photochemical injuries occur because high energy photons break molecular bonds inside living cells. This creates molecular fragments that are toxic and injure the cell. These effects are most significant in the ultraviolet, but blue light can cause an injury to the retina that is similar to sunburn on skin. This results in permanent vision loss. Other UV photochemical effects include “welder’s flash”, cataracts, and skin cancer from long term low level exposures.
Thermal: Micro-cavitation is a type of thermal effect that occurs when a short laser pulse is focused onto the retina. Most of the energy is absorbed in a small volume, heating the water in that volume to steam. This results in a microscopic steam explosion that separates retinal layers and ruptures blood vessels in the retina. This kind of injury results in significant vision loss and is the greatest risk for short pulse visible and near IR lasers. 4

5. Most laser skin injuries are thermal burns:
A first degree burn results in reddening of the skin
A second degree burn results in blistering.
A third degree burn results in destruction of the skin.
Skin burns are not usually serious unless a powerful beam strikes it directly.
Focused beams can vaporize tissue resulting in a penetrating burn. This can result in a cut and profuse bleeding. These injuries can be dramatic, but they are not usually serious.
Repeated exposures to low level UV light over long periods of time can promote skin cancer. This hazard is greatest for UV wavelengths in the range nm.
Shorter wavelengths are mostly absorbed before they penetrate into the living layers of the skin. Longer wavelengths penetrate further but are not as damaging to the tissue. 5

6. --------------------------
Here is an accident from a reflected surface and is typical of most skin injuries. These burns usually do not lead to long-term disability, but they can have painful short-term consequences.
If a high power beam is focused on the skin, it can vaporize tissue and drill a hole or produce a cut if the beam is moving. CW beams will cauterize the tissue preventing bleeding. Focused short pulses form Q-switched lasers vaporize tissue without heating the surrounding tissue enough to cauterize.
Photochemical skin injuries include sunburn and the possibility of promoting skin cancer by repeated low level exposures over long periods of time. The best way to avoid this issue is to enclose high power UV beams.
Far IR light, such as that from CO2 lasers, is absorbed strongly by water in the skin and results in a surface burn. Near IR light, such as a Nd:YAG laser, penetrates more deeply into tissue and can result in deeper, more painful burns. 6

7. -----------------------------------------
Intrabeam viewing is the situation when a beam enters the eye, producing the smallest focused spot on the retina and the greatest eye hazard.
A specular reflection (from a mirror) into the eye produces the same results and level of hazard.
Viewing a diffuse reflection is much less hazardous. In this case less light enters the eye, and light that does is scattered and no longer coherent. This means that the spot on the retina is larger and the hazard is less. If the diffuse reflection is too intense, an eye injury can still result.
A Diffuse Reflection is considered to be a Small Source if the spot on the diffuse reflector is small and an Extended Source if the spot is larger. 7

8. The fovea is a dip in the center of the macula.
The cornea of the eye is the outer layer and is transparent similar to egg white. When long wavelength CO2 laser light strikes the cornea, it heats it much like a frying pan heats an egg white. UV exposure of the cornea produces a photochemical effect known as welder’s flash. This is a painful but temporary condition.
The lens of the eye absorbs UV light. The long term effect is the formation of scar tissue on the surface of the lens. This is called a cataract. Reducing UV exposure is important in preventing cataracts later in life.
The macula is the area of the retina with the greatest concentration of cones for color vision and high visual acuity where damage will result in the greatest loss of vision.
Extra:
The fovea is a dip in the center of the macula. 8

9. Here we see wavelengths between 280 – 360nm entering the eye.
We see the percent absorption as the light penetrates each element. The longer the wavelength, the more that passes.
Absorption turns into heating which creates the damage.

10. --------------------------------------
Light is transmitted to the retina in the wavelength range of 400 to 1400 nm where the color range is visible to us.
In this color range, a hazardous eye exposure to a CW laser will result in an aversion response (such as a blink) that protects the eye.
However, light in the range of 700 to 800 nm becomes progressively less visible. The blink and visual estimates of power are not reliable for wavelengths longer than 700 nm.
The factor that limits transmission at the blue end of the curve is absorption in the eye lens.
The factor that limits transmission at the IR end is absorption by water.
The blue retinal absorption curve is that for the melanin in the pigment epithelium. It absorbs shorter wavelengths more strongly. 10

11. The laser safety eyewear would have prevented this injury.
This is an image of the retina of a human that experienced an injury from a pulsed invisible laser. In such cases people do not usually realize they are being exposed until their vision has been severely effected. The person’s eye was moving during this exposure which can be seen in the line of burns.
This individual was lucky that the damage did not extend into the macula which is located out of the photo.
The laser safety eyewear would have prevented this injury. 11

12. This is a eye injury resulting from 4 direct pulses into the macular region from an Nd:YAG laser. At a pulse energy was 15 mJ the exposure was 7,500 times the safe level.
Short pulse lasers produce the greatest hazard. Each short pulse results in a tiny explosion in the retina and the shockwave causes severe damage to the tissue.
This photo was taken 3 weeks after exposure. It shows the permanent destruction of the macular region. Visual acuity in the eye is now 20/400 instead of 20/20 and will not improve.
This injury could not have occurred if the individual had been wearing the appropriate laser safety eyewear. 12

13. Human eye injuries from far IR lasers have been rare to date.
This is a surface burn on the cornea of a rabbit’s eye caused by exposure to a CO2 laser beam of just a few watts. All the laser energy was absorbed by water on the surface of the cornea. This heated the cornea causing the protein in the corneal tissue to cook.
Human eye injuries from far IR lasers have been rare to date. 13

14. Most people injured by laser exposures had no safety training
Most people injured by laser exposures had no safety training. In most cases the errors that led to the injury were simple mistakes that could have been avoided easily with a basic knowledge of laser safety.
Most accidents occurred when beam alignment was performed without adequate safety precautions.
Many accidents in laboratories occurred because stray reflections were not controlled. All reflections should be located and blocked as near their source as possible. The laboratory should be checked routinely for new stray reflections.
The appropriate use of laser eyewear is a fundamental component of real safety. Most people injured by exposures had eyewear available but were not wearing at the time of the exposure.
Standard Operating Procedures are required for any circumstance in which a worker may be exposed to a hazardous beam. Almost all injuries occurred when such procedures had not been prepared or were not followed. 14

15. In many cases the hazards from exposure to laser light are controlled so well that the greatest risk to workers is from a non-beam hazard associated with use.
The most serious hazard is the electrical hazard from the power source.
The most common hazard to workers from industrial use is Laser Generated Air Contaminants (LGACs).
Other hazards include radiation from laser processes, light from optical pumping lamps, and chemical hazards in research environments. 15

16. The potential hazard of the beam, not ancillary hazards.
Lasers and systems are classified according to their level of hazard. The classification is based on:
The potential hazard of the beam, not ancillary hazards.
The hazard during normal operation, not during maintenance or service.
The maximum level of exposure possible.
Lasers may be classified under:
The Federal Laser Product Performance Standard (Also called the CDRH* Standard)
The American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers
IEC International Standard
* Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the U S Food and Drug Administration 16

17. A class 1 laser is incapable of causing an injury during normal use
A class 1 laser is incapable of causing an injury during normal use. They are class 1 because they are very low power or because the beam is fully enclosed. The operators of class 1 lasers do not need to take any precautions to protect themselves from hazards.
Extras:
The class 1 limits for visible lasers under the ANSI Standard vary with wavelength. Visible lasers with wavelengths longer than 500 nm have a class 1 limit of 0.4 mW. The class 1 limit for visible lasers with wavelengths shorter than 450 nm is 40 mW. Power limits have been increased from earlier versions because we now know that they had been set lower than necessary for safety.
The CDRH class 1 limit is 0.4 microwatts for the entire visible. The power limits have not yet been changed since it took effect in 1976.
Class 1 limits under the IEC Standard agree with the ANSI Standard for the visible and near infrared, but they may be slightly different in the UV or far IR. 17

18. Class 2 lasers must be visible
Class 2 lasers must be visible. The natural aversion response to bright light will cause a person to blink before a class 2 laser can produce an eye injury.
The average for a human aversion response to bright light is 190 ms. The maximum aversion time is always less that 0.25 s.
The only protection you need from a class 2 laser is to know not to overcome the aversion response and stare directly into the beam. This has been done, and people have burned their retinas doing it. 18

19. Class 3R lasers are “Marginally Unsafe
Class 3R lasers are “Marginally Unsafe.” This means that the aversion response is not adequate protection for a direct exposure of the eye to the beam, but the actual hazard level is low, and minimum precautions will result in safe use.
The CDRH Standard (FLPPS) allows only visible lasers in class 3a. The CW power is limited to 5 mW. If the laser has a small beam so that more than 1 mW can enter the pupil of the eye, it carries a DANGER label. If the beam is expanded to be large enough that only 1 mW can pass through the pupil, the laser carries a CAUTION label.
The ANSI Standard has the same limits for visible class 3R lasers. It also allows invisible lasers in this class. An invisible laser with 1 to 5 times the class 1 limit is a class 3R invisible laser under the ANSI Standard.
The only precautions required for safe use of a class 3R laser are that the laser user must recognize the level of hazard and avoid direct eye exposure. 19

20. Class 3B lasers are hazardous for direct eye exposure to the beam, but diffuse reflections are not usually hazardous
The maximum average power for a CW or repetitive pulse class 3B laser is 0.5 W.
The maximum pulse energy for a single pulse class 3B laser in the visible and near IR varies with the wavelength. For visible lasers the maximum pulse energy is 30 mJ. It increases to 150 mJ per pulse in the wavelength range of nm. For the ultraviolet and the far IR the limit is 125 mJ.
Class 3B lasers operating near the upper power or energy limit of the class may produce minor skin hazards. However, this is not usually a real concern.
Most class 3B lasers do not produce diffuse reflection hazards. However, single pulse visible or near IR class 3B lasers with ultrashort pulses can produce diffuse reflection hazards of more than a meter. Your laser safety officer will perform a hazard analysis. 20

21. Class 4 lasers are powerful enough that even the diffuse reflection is a hazard. The lower power limit for CW and repetitive pulsed Class 4 lasers is an average power of 0.5 W. The lower limit for single pulse Class 4 lasers varies from 0.03 J for visible wavelengths to 0.15 J for near infrared wavelengths.
Class 4 lasers require the application of the most stringent control measures. 21

22. Class 1M and class 2M lasers are class 1 and class 2 lasers when viewed with the unaided eye. If these lasers are viewed with magnifying optics, more light enters the eye and the hazard is greater. These lasers can be viewed safely using optical instruments only if appropriate laser safety eyewear or filters are used.
Both ANSI Z and IEC use M classifications. However, the detailed definitions of the M classes are different in the two standards. Both standards use the same two general measurement conditions, but the measurement distances and apertures are different. This means that a laser may fall into different classes under the two standards. 22

23. Class 2 lasers are the same under both standards.
Both ANSI Z and IEC use the same laser classes. However, the definitions of the class limits are different in the two standards.
Class 2 lasers are the same under both standards.
Class 1 and class 3R lasers are the same in the visible and near IR, but differences exist in the UV and far IR.
Class 1M and 2M vary because of different measurement conditions. The wavelength range is also different for class 1M.
Class 3B limits are similar in the visible and near IR for CW and repetitive pulse lasers, but the limits for single pulse lasers are different for short pulses. Additional differences exist in the UV and far IR. 23

24. All laser products sold in the US must comply with the FLPPS
All laser products sold in the US must comply with the FLPPS. It requires that all lasers be classified and that specified engineering controls must be included in each class product.
The ANSI Standard is a voluntary, user standard. It is “good advice” for laser users and is expected to be followed voluntarily because it is the best approach to assure safe use of lasers. It was written for laser users by laser users, and it is the consensus of the laser safety community that it was the best document that could be published at the time. A new revision is published every few years. OSHA requires that all organizations using lasers have a Laser Safety Program that meets the requirements of the ANSI Standard.
The IEC International Standard applies to both the manufacture and use of lasers. It has not been adopted as the standard in the United States because both the federal government and the ANSI committee do not agree with all the provisions of this standard. Lasers classified and labeled in accordance with this standard may be sold in the United States. 24

25. All lasers have a protective housing that encloses the laser source
All lasers have a protective housing that encloses the laser source. It contains all the light except the output beam, which leaves the housing through the output aperture. In a class 1 system with an embedded class 3b or 4 laser the output beam does not leave the protective housing.
The protective housings of class 3b and 4 lasers are equipped with interlocks to prevent exposure to the laser beam if the protective housing is opened. In most cases opening the housing during operation will result in the laser turning off. Interlocks on portions of the protective housing that are intended to be opened during operation or maintenance must be “fail safe” interlocks. These interlocks may be designed to be defeated, but they must have a visible or audible means of indicating that they have been defeated.
Warning labels on any portion of the protective housing that can be opened to allow beam access warn personnel of the hazard contained inside.
Viewing windows and optics, such as microscopes must be equipped with filters that limit the transmitted light to a safe (class 1) level. 25

26. A CAUTION label means that a laser is visible and that it cannot deliver more than 1 mW through the pupil of the eye. Only the aversion response (blink) is needed for protection.
A DANGER label means that the laser is a class 4, a class 3B, or a class 3R that has a small beam that can deliver more than 1 mW through a 7 mm pupil. The class of the laser is stated in the lower right corner of the label.
Laser products are always labeled according to the requirements of the federal standard. This means that many low power IR diodes that have danger labels stating they are class 3B actually produce no hazard and may be treated as class 1 lasers under the ANSI Standard. Examples of this include diodes with wavelengths of 1.55 microns used in fiber optic communications systems. A 1 mW diode is labeled as class 3B under the federal standard, but it is not really a hazard and can be treated as a class 1 under the ANSI Standard. In fact, the ANSI class 1 limit is 9.6 mW. It is important that workers understand the actual hazard associated with the lasers they are using.
The power levels stated on class warning labels are often greater than the laser can actually produce. The correct values may be found in the printed product information. 26

27. - Maximum Permissible Exposure - Optical Density of Eyewear
Any time there is a potential exposure to a class 3b or 4 laser beam the LSO must perform a hazard analysis.
The first part of this analysis consists of a series of calculations that yield a numerical description of the magnitude of the hazard. This is the laser’s capability of causing an injury and it includes calculations of the following values:
- Maximum Permissible Exposure
- Optical Density of Eyewear
- Nominal Hazard Zone
Each of these is explained in the following slides.
The second factor in hazard analysis is the environment in which the laser is used. The hazards present and the controls required in an industrial setting may be quite different from those found in a research laboratory.
The third factor to be considered is the nature of the personnel who operate the laser. Hazards are best controlled by well-trained personnel taking responsibility for managing hazards in the workplace. Personnel with little or no training in safety, such as many student workers, are much more likely to have accidents. 27

28. MPE will be determined by the LSO
The maximum permissible exposure is the level of light to which a worker may be exposed with no risk of injury. The MPE depends on the exact exposure conditions, and changing the exposure conditions will change the MPE. In most cases worst case assumptions and define control measures that will protect workers from the worst possible accidental exposures are made.
The MPE is based on a large body of data from exposures of experimental animals to laser beams by the military beginning in the 1960s.
The primary factors that effect the MPE are:
- The exposure type (Intrabeam eye exposure is the worst case.)
- The laser wavelength
- The pulse characteristics of the laser output
- Exposure duration
An exposure duration of 0.25 s is usually used for an accidental exposure to a visible laser. An exposure duration of 10 s is usually used for an invisible laser.
The MPE can easily be determined using free Easy Haz WEB software. 28

29. OD of the eye safety wear will be determined by the LSO
Optical Density is a mathematical method of describing the ability of a filter to reduce the intensity of light transmitted. OD numbers represent “orders of magnitude” or “powers of 10.” This means that increasing the OD number by 1 increases the attenuation of the filter by a factor of 10.
The area used to determine the irradiance of the beam in the OD calculation is the area of the limiting aperture from table. This provides a worst case OD based on the assumption that the entire beam enters the eye. If the beam diameter is smaller than the pupil of the eye, the hazard does not increase. The worst situation is when the largest beam possible enters the eye. This produces the smallest spot on the retina.
If the beam is significantly larger than the pupil, the actual area of the beam may be used. This will result in a OD that will protect the eye from the larger beam but will not provide adequate protection if a smaller beam of the same power enters the eye. 29

30. The NHZ will be determined by the LSO
The intrabeam NHZ is the distance the beam must travel before it has diverged enough that the irradiance in the center of the beam drops below the MPE. This is often a large distance and safety requires that the beam be terminated on a diffuse reflecting beam block. (Serious injuries have resulted when laser workers failed to block high power beams.)
The diffuse reflection NHZ is the distance from a beam block for which the irradiance of the scattered light exceeds the MPE. This is always much smaller than the intrabeam NHZ, but this hazard extends in all directions.
The LSO may also determine the NHZ for other types of exposure conditions, such as when focusing lenses or optical fibers are used. 30

31. ------------ Time dependant --------------------------
The intrabeam NHZ of a class 4 laser is usually hundreds or thousands of meters. The diffuse reflection NHZ is usually a few meters or less.
The values shown above are typical for these type of lasers. The hazard zones are similar for a 100 W CW Nd:YAG, and a 1000 W CW CO2.
A 5 W Argon laser (blue light) has a intrabeam NHZ of 1000 m and a diffuse reflection NHZ of 0.25 m.
The intrabeam NHZ for a pulsed Nd:YAG laser welder with an average power of 100 W is about 2240 m. The diffuse reflection NHZ for this laser is 3.16 m. Pulsed lasers have greater hazards because of the high peal power of the laser pulses. 31

32. Calculations are only the beginning of a laser hazard evaluation
Calculations are only the beginning of a laser hazard evaluation. They allow you to quantify the hazard so you can more easily understand how it effects the workplace.
To complete the hazard evaluation, the LSO must go where the laser is and examine it in the real work environment.
Then, the LSO must talk to the users. Be sure they understand the hazards and the control measures they are to use. The LSO must also evaluate the written SOP for any procedures requiring access to the laser beam and determine if all laser users understand it.
Finally, the LSO must use his/her best judgment to assess the risks and determine if additional or different control measures are needed.
The effective daily control of laser hazards depends on laser users understanding the hazards, following procedures, and making good decisions in controlling laser hazards. 32

33. Three types or controls are specified in the Standard:
The ANSI Standard states that the LSO will determine the control measures to be used to reduce possible exposures to a level at or below the MPE for all cases in which exposure to a class 3b or 4 laser is possible.
Three types or controls are specified in the Standard:
Engineering controls are features built into the equipment or facility that protect personnel automatically without the need of protective action on the part of the worker.
Administrative controls are policies that limit exposure to laser hazards, such as: only authorized personnel may operate lasers with the interlocks defeated.
Procedural controls are specific procedures to be followed by laser personnel when working with an exposed laser beam. These are usually specified in a Standard Operating Procedure.
The LSO may substitute alternate controls for any control measure required by the Standard if the LSO believes this is the best course of action and that the substitute control measure provides equivalent protection. 33

34. -------------------------------------------------
If the beam is fully enclosed, the system is class 1. Most industrial laser processing equipment is in this category.
In limited open beam path systems most of the beam path is enclosed, but the enclosure is not complete. There is a chance that a reflected beam could escape from the system and constitute a hazard. CO2 laser markers are often in this category. A typical CO2 marker has a diffuse reflection NHZ of only a few centimeters. During normal operation there is no hazard outside the enclosure.
Totally open beam paths are sometimes used in research situations. This often leads to unnecessary hazards and injuries that could easily have been eliminated. The trend today is to use limited open beam paths whenever possible. 34

35. Only trained personnel are allowed inside the laser controlled area.
The laser controlled area is an area where class 3B or 4 lasers are used with the beam exposed. The name derives from the fact that access to the area is controlled, but other aspects of control are important. Inside the controlled area the hazards are controlled by engineering and procedural controls specified in the SOP. Finally, some individual is in control of the hazards. The person who creates a hazard has the responsibility to control that hazard.
Access to the controlled area is usually limited by interlocks on the entryway door, although procedural controls are sometimes an acceptable alternative A warning sign must always be posted at the entryway to a class 4 laser controlled area.
Eyewear must be used inside the controlled area as specified in the SOP.
Barriers, shrouds, and beam stops are used to limit the NHZ inside the controlled area.
Administrative and procedural controls define approved personnel and procedures. Written SOPs are required for class 4 lasers.
Only trained personnel are allowed inside the laser controlled area. 35

36. A danger sign must be posted at each entryway to a class 4 controlled area.
Only authorized personnel may enter a controlled area unless approval is given by an authorized laser operator.
When authorized operators enter the controlled area, they must first determine the status of operations inside the controlled area and then follow approved procedures.
If the hazard in a class 3b controlled area is limited, the warning sign may be posted inside the controlled area instead of on the door to the area. 36

37. Interlocks on doors may be connected to the laser remote interlock connector to terminate the beam if the door is opened during laser operation. Such interlocks may be non-defeatable or may be designed to be bypassed by the laser operator.
The ANSI Standard states that procedural entryway safety controls may be used “where safety latches or interlocks are not feasible or are inappropriate.” The conditions under which interlocks are “inappropriate” are debatable.
The OSHA Technical Manual allows procedural entryway controls as an acceptable alternative. It states: “A blocking barrier, screen, or curtain that can block or filter the laser beam at the entryway may be used inside the controlled area to prevent the laser light from exiting the area at levels above the applicable MPE level. In this case, a warning light or sound is required outside the entryway that operates when the laser is energized and operating. All personnel who work in the facility shall be appropriately trained.” 37

38. The most common light arrangement is the three light system shown.
Laser warning lights are required at the entryway of permanent class 4 controlled areas if the doors are not interlocked. If the doors are interlocked, lights are not required, but they are often installed.
The most common light arrangement is the three light system shown.
Two light systems with red and green lights only are also common. In many cases a single light indicates laser operation. If a single light is used, it should flash during laser operation. Such flashing lights are usually red, but a flashing blue light sometimes indicates laser operation in facilities where flashing red lights have another specific meaning. 38

39. Protective barriers are often used to enclose hazards when an industrial system must be operated with the beam exposed during maintenance or service.
Laser protective barriers and curtains can also be used to limit the NHZ inside laser controlled areas. These barriers are often used to protect entryways, computer work stations, and workbenches where workers may not always wear protective eyewear. It is especially important that no direct optical path exist between laser optics tables and computer stations in laser laboratories. 39

40. In this experiment all beams are horizontal and curbs on the optical table block any reflections and confine the hazard to the area of the optical table. These curbs may be removed easily to provide greater access for reconfiguration or alignment. 40

41. It is important to limit the NHZ inside laser controlled areas
It is important to limit the NHZ inside laser controlled areas. The use of beam blocks, beam tubes, partial enclosures, and curbs on optical tables greatly enhance safety in laser laboratories. In many cases the NHZ can be confined to the area of optical tables.
It is not necessary to interlock all enclosures inside laser laboratories, but appropriate labels should always be applied to alert workers to potential laser hazards. 41

42. There have been several accidental laser exposures because workers in labs removed their eyewear to better observe displays on computer screens, and stray reflections from laser experimental setups struck them in the eye. This risk is greatest when using invisible beams or pulsed lasers.
This risk can be eliminated by placing a barrier. Curtains or curbs on tables or partitions around computers provide this protection.
It is not always practical to use barriers to eliminate the possibility of reflected beams at computer workstations in the laboratory. Eyewear and procedural controls can be used. However, users must make sure that the procedures are always followed and the eyewear is worn when required. 42

43. Safety eyewear is available in glass or plastic for all wavelengths
Safety eyewear is available in glass or plastic for all wavelengths. The required Optical Density of the eyewear is determined in the hazard analysis performed by the LSO.
Eyewear should never be viewed as the first control measure to be applied. In all cases engineering and procedural controls should be devised to reduce and limit the possible exposure to hazardous laser light. The use of eyewear should then be required as a last line of defense in case everything else fails. Most laser eye injuries have occurred when other controls proved inadequate and the worker was not wearing eyewear.
Eyewear would have prevented most laser eye injuries, but it does not make the wearer invulnerable. It is never safe to stare into a laser beam, even if wearing laser protective eyewear.
The greatest risk of eye injury occurs when near IR lasers are operated with the beam exposed.
Eyewear should always be worn when a near IR class 3b or class 4 beam is accessible. 43

44. All eyewear must be labeled with the optical density and wavelength for which it provides protection. In many cases the same eyewear will provide a different optical density at different wavelengths.
Optical Density curves for all eyewear is available from the manufacturers. In research situations it is sometimes necessary to use eyewear that is not labeled for the specific wavelengths in use. In these cases, eyewear data must be available in the laboratory. 44

45. Some eyewear is designed to provide protection from several types of lasers.
The optical density curves shown above are for the green plastic used for protection from Nd:YAG lasers and the orange plastic used for blue and green beams. Including both dyes in the same eyewear can provide protection from a range of laser hazards. The eyewear above provides protection from Nd:YAG, doubled YAG, argon, and excimer lasers. The polycarbonate material of the eyewear protects against CO2 lasers as well. 45

46. Short high power laser pulses can cause photo bleaching of eyewear during the laser pulse. This occurs because the laser light excites the absorbers to higher energy states, depopulating the lower energy states. At very high intensities the eyewear becomes temporarily transparent.
Some older plastic eyewear for near IR wavelengths has this characteristic. Glass eyewear for the near IR is much less susceptible to photo bleaching. Glass eyewear or plastic eyewear rated for short pulses should always be used for ultrashort near IR pulses.
Orange glass eyewear does not provide adequate protection from high peak power ultrashort pulses in the green and blue portion of the visible spectrum. Orange polycarbonate eyewear provides better protection form ultrashort green or blue pulses, but it should be either rated for ultrashort pulses or tested in the laboratory. It is important to wear eyewear of high optical density and to avoid having intense beams strike the eyewear directly. 46

47. The second responsibility of laser users is to protect themselves.
Section of the ANSI Standard states: “Employees who work with lasers or laser systems and their supervisors have responsibilities for establishing the safe use.”
The person operating the laser should always take the primary responsibility for laser safety. If you create laser photons, you are responsible for the safety of anyone who might be exposed to those photons. We expect the training of all laser personnel to include the responsibility of laser users to protect others from laser hazards.
The first responsibility of laser users is to assure the safety of others.
The second responsibility of laser users is to protect themselves. 47

48. Safety during beam alignment is of critical importance.
Most eye injuries occur when untrained personnel attempt beam alignment without approved, written procedures and safe eyewear Most of those injured are students.
Only personnel who have completed laser safety training should ever perform laser alignment. Alignment of many research systems requires specific training on the system by experienced personnel.
Written alignment procedures are required for class 4 laser alignment and are recommended for class 3B alignment. Alignment procedures should be written by experienced laser personnel and approved by the LSO. These procedures should identify beam hazards during alignment and specify the control measures and eyewear to be used during alignment. 48